Electric switch box



1924. 1512182 Odwzl A. w. LUNDSTROM ELECTRIC SWITCH BOX Filed Dec. 22 1929 EXC/5%;

[nden-tor: Jqxel W. LUnds-brgm HIS flor-neg- Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

*UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.y

W. iUNDsTRon/r.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC SWITCH BOX.

Application filed December 22, 1920. Serial No. 432,463.

T all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, AXEL W. LUNosrRoM, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, inthe county of New York, State'of lNew York, have invented certain new-'fand useful Improvements in Electric Switclr Boxes, of which the following 1s a specification. l l'ffThe, present invention relates to electric switch boxes of the type Iused to enclose a" switchto prevent an operator from coming' in contact withA the live parts of the switchgfanoperating handle for the switch projecting-fout through a wall of the box. With such structures it is desirable to provide ian arrangement whereby the cover of thebjolxcan-be opened only after the switch habeenihrown to off position and where- 'byhthefswitc'h'fcannot be thrown to on positio'n'rwhile'ithelcover is open, and the object'oflf'my invention is to provide an improvedfstructurei andarrangement in an apparatus-'of this character.

For a consideration of what I believe to benovel-andmy invention, attention is direotedrto the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto.

@In theY drawing, Fig. 1 is a face view of aswitch` box embodyingr my invention; Fig. 2 is a .section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the! parts in different positions Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a switch box in which is a base 6 of' insulating material. Mounted on base 6 is a. switch 7 and fuse holders 8. The switch and fuse holders shown are only by way of example and may be taken as typical of an)v known orfsuitable arrangement. The box is divided into a switch compartment and a fuse compartment by a transverse wall or shield 9. rI`he cover of the box comprises a fixed section 10 over the switch compartment and a hinged section 11 over the fuse compartment, section 11 being hinged on section' 1() by hinges 12. The operating handle for the switch is indicated at 13 and it projects out through a slot 14 in the-fixed cover section 10. Slot 14 is sufficiently long to permit handle 13 to move back and Yforth in operating the switch.l When cover section 11 is opened the uses are `then accessible for renewal orinspection. Shield 9, however, prevents `the attendant from access to or accidentally coming into contact -with .switchil y Fixed cover section 10 is fastenedto therbox by 4suit` ably arranged screws as indicatedat 15,` and may be termed the screwed do wn portion of the cover. At its end it is providedwith a. flange 16 having an;.opening-17.-thr,ough

whichy projects somewhat loosely 1a Ipin .orf screw 18, the head oiwhich is on the insideof thebox. .s ,A y i',

Fixed on cover section; 10 are two spaced plates 19,- each provided Witha vertically extendingV flange 20 which-,anges-,are par.i allel to each other and form ,a guide vorwayv for a locking member;` 21,;1Locking melmber 21 is formed vof; arlatvstripof metal and has wings 22 at onejend wliich., l de along the surfaces of flanges 2Q., -`,Infsluch wings are holes 23. Locking member -21 .is of the same thickness as plates 19,',andjextending from one plate toth'e other over the top of member 21 is a guide strip .24 the ends of which are fixed to plates 19 22 cooperate with flanges 20 to, prevent locking member 21` from twistingrand strip 24 holdsit against the surface of cover/'section 10. lOn locking member 21 is printed or stamped the words Ulf and .Onffand Strip Miserves .to Coverithe 0.1.19 @tothe other of these words whichindicate whe `heigthe switch is open or closed. 1, In lockinglmember 21 is a hole 25 through whichswitch operating handle 13 projects andasgwillrbe clear from the drawingwhenhandle ,'13 is operated, Vmember 21 will be slid baclcandl forth along the to-p of cover section v10. Fixed to cover section 11 adjacent its hinged end is a. curved lnose 26 the. end ot which projects over fixed cover section 10. When cover section 11 is closed, the end of nose 26 stands spaced from the surface of cover section 11 sufliciently to permit locking member 21 to move under it as shown 1n Figs. 1 and 2. In fixed cover section 10 is a hole 27 which lies directly-under the end of nose 26 and through which nose 26 passes as shown in Fig. 3, whencover section 11 is opened, when the switch is closed the end of member 21 covershole 27.

At the end of box 5 isvfixed a Hat post 28 having a hole 29 in its end/s. When cover section 11 is closed post 28 passes through a hole 30 in it, and'by fastening a padlock or other locking means in hole 29 the cover can be locked shut. .,The end of cover section 11 is provided with a flange when closed, the end of locking inembeig21` liesl under nose 26 thus preventing the opening of cover section 11, and .before .coversectionnll can be opened the switch must be moved toopenposition'so as to vmove the locking member from 'under the nose. In this connection it will be noted that the Vend of member 21 lies sufiicientlyar under nose 26 that-the'` switch .handle must-have been moved; far enough to effect the opening of theV switch before it'moves from'lunder nose 26and uncovers hole`27. :ByI this .arrangement, therefore, it is not possible tol open cover section 11 unless 'the-switch is open. VVh'enthe switch is'fopenqwings 22`Aext`end beyond flanges' 20 :sufficiently-.l far to uncover openings-23i'avndl'by placinga. padlock o r other locking means in openings '23 the switch can'beflockedropenif-1 I l"Also'by' the arrangement shown it'is Snot possible to removethe fixedor screwed down cover section without firstv throwing Athe switch to off positionandfopening cover sectionll. This is because screw 18 pro# jectin through opening .17 makes i it necessary -t at'the cover bey slid-along-'fthe face of thebox to move flange 16 beyond 'the end vof 'screw 18 before the cover canbe lifted'of and, -in order to' slide the cover,

hinged section 11W-must' be opened tolmove its"flang'e 31 reeof `the"end of the'box and of post 28. "Ihisis Eillustrate'dfin Fig 3 where the cover-section 11 isshow'n as having been opened and they cover then slid along to bring 'flange 16 beyond screw '18. The grip ofl handle 13 is threaded' into the shank'so that it may be unscrewed as illustrated in Fig. 3 to permit complete removal of the cover section.

It will-be seen that my improved arrangelnent is simple in structure, positive in y but I desire to have it understood that the appara-tus shown is 'only illnstrative and that the invention may be carried ont by other means.

What I claim as new and`desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. In a switch box, `the combination of a hinged cover section, a projection 'on it theswitch is closed, and said member being moved to uncover the opening when the switch :is opened whereby said projection may pass through the opening and the hinged cover section may be opened.

r2.1:In combinatiom'a swtchbox having a hinged cover section, a-,iswitc'h in lthe box having a handle which projects .through a wall of' the box, approjectiongongthe hinged cover section, and arloclringvmember which slides on v'a wall of the box and is connected to the switch handle to move therewithfsaid locking Vmember. moved by the switch` handlevtofa position ywherein it 4holds the projection from movement when the switch is closedsand being moved by the switch handle toa'position to release the projection when the switch is openedgffypyi,

3. In combinatioma switchboxihavingxa hingedcover section, aV switch in the box having a handle which projectsfihroughya wall fof the box,`a projection on the section, a= locking slide having an opening through which the handle projectsg'wheigeby said slide moves with the handle,',said;slide lying in4v the wayof said -projecti oxi fwhen the switch is closed and being moved ou of its way when the switch isopened.

4. In a switch box, the combination of a'cover comprising a fixedsection and a hinged section, .a switch in thegboxj'havn a handle'4 which projects through the fixed section, a vlocking membercarriedbvth hinged section, said fixed section having an opening through which it must pass when the hinged section is opened, and a locking member which slides on a wall -of the .box and is movable with the 'switch handle, said locking member covering said opening and holding said projection immovable when the switch is closed. 1.,

5. In a switch box, the coinbinationiof'a ver comprising a fixed sect-ion and a hinged section, one-'of said sections having an opening, a locking member'ontheother section which must .pass through said opening when the hinged section isropened, a handle for operating the switch, and a locking member which slides on a. wall of the box and is movable with the handle,-,Said locking member covering said opening and holding said firsonamed locking 'member immovable when the switch isclosed.

'6. In a switch box, the combination of a cover comprising afixed section and a hinged section,said fixed Vsection havin Va slot and an opening, a switch in :the having a, handle which projectsthroutglh said slot, a locking member carried by e hinged section which must pass through said opening when the hinged section is opened, and a locking member which slides on the fixed cover section, said locking member covering said opening and holding the first-named locking member immovable when the switch is closed and being moved by the handle to uncover the opening and release said first-named locking member when the switch is opened.

7. In a switch box, the combination of a cover comprising a fixed section and a hinged section, a switch in the box having a handle which projects through the fixed section, a locking member carried by the hinged section, a locking member which ,slides on the fixed section and lies under the first named locking member, said second named locking member being connected to the switch handle and moved by it under the first-named locking member to hold said member immovable when the switch is closed and from under said first named rocking member to permit said member to move when the switch is opened.

8. In a switch box, the combination of a cover comprising a fixed section and a hinged section, said fixed section having a slot, a switch in the box having a handle which projects through said slot, a locking projection on the hinged cover section, and a locking member which slides on the fixed cover section and is connected to the switch handle to move therewith, said locking member lying in the way of said locking projection and holding said projection immovable when the switch is closed and being moved out of the way of said projection When the switch is opened.

9. In a switch box, the combination of cover comprising a fixed section and hinged section, said fixed section having slot, a switch in the box having a handle which projects through said slot, a locking projection on the hinged cover section, a locking member which slides on the fixed cover section and is connected to the switch handle to move therewith, said locking member lying in the way of said locking projection when the switch is closed and being moved out of its way when the switch is opened, guide means, and guide wings carried by the locking member and cooperating with said guide means, said guide wings having an opening adapted to receive a lock for loc-king the switch open.

10. In a switch box, the combination of a www cover comprising a fixed section and a hinged section, a switch in the box having a handle which projects through the fixed section, a locking member carried by the hinged section, a locking member which slides on the fixed section, said second named locking member being connected to the switch handle and moved by it into and out of the way of the second named locking member when the switch is closed and opened, and means preventing the removal of the fixed cover section without first opening the hinged cover section.

l1. In a switch box, the combination of a screwed down cover section, a hinged cover section, said sections being each provided with flanges at their ends which lap over adjacent switch box walls when the cover sections are closed, a stud carried by a switch box wall and projecting through an opening in the flange of the screwed down cover section whereby in order to remove both cover sections the hinged cover section must be opened and the sections slid along the box, and locking means for the hinged section which prevents its being opened except when the switch is open.

12. In combination, a switch box having a removable cover, said cover having a hinged section normally closed, a fixed section normally secured to the box and fianges at its edges which lie about and enclose the adjacent edges of the box, a switch in the box having a handle which projects through a slot in the fixed section of the cover, a projection on the hinged cover section which must move through an opening in the fixed cover section when said hinged section is moved from the closed position, a sliding strip guided on and supported by the fixed cover section and connected with the switch handle whereby it is moved in response to movement of the switch handle, said sliding strip being moved to a position between said projection and the opening when the switch is moved from the open position, and a stud carried by a wall of the switch box and projecting through an opening in an adjacent flange of the cover, whereby in order to remove the cover the hinged cover section must be opened and the cover slid along the box in the direction of the stud.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this th day of December, 1920.

AXEL W. LUNDSTROM. 

